NFL power rankings for 49ers, NFC West ahead of 2019 free agency

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TEMPE, AZ – JANUARY 09: Arizona Cardinals team president Michael Bidwill (L) and general manager (R) Steve Keim introduce the new head coach Kliff Kingsbury to the media at the Arizona Cardinals Training Facility on January 9, 2019 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) /

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Unfortunately for the Cardinals, they won’t be getting out of the basement in divisional NFL power rankings anytime soon.

After a one-and-done season under 2018 head coach Steve Wilks, the hope is Arizona can muster some progress under former Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury entering this season. He’ll be expected to groom the team’s highest investment from last year, quarterback Josh Rosen, who owned the league’s worst qualifying passer rating a season ago (66.7).

Offensively, the Cardinals are still a bit of a mess. True, they have a powerhouse running back in David Johnson. But future Hall of Fame wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald is getting up there in age, and there doesn’t appear to be an heir apparent to replace him. The offensive line is lacking, too.

Fortunately for Arizona, it owns the No. 1 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft — the first of seven total selections this year. And with just under $48 million in projected cap space, per Over the Cap, general manager Steve Keim can afford to make a number of offseason splashes to get some help.

It will be interesting to see if the Cardinals move on from defenders, like safety Tre Boston and safety/linebacker hybrid Deone Bucannon, who both hit the free-agent market this March. And we’ll have to see how either, if re-signed fits into the new 3-4 defense Arizona is planning on implementing.

The Cardinals aren’t in the NFL’s worst situation heading into the offseason. As far as the NFC West is concerned, however, they’re still ranked at the bottom.